Letters From the Front

Dated: December 10, 1915

We had a frightfully muddy trip into the trenches last time. The day after our going in I was honoured by being selected with Harold Riley to attend to the wiring along our battalion front, which is some hundreds of yards in extent, supports, etc., included. It meant that he would take charge of the left half with a dozen or more men, and I should look after the right half with about the same number of wirers, and that we should climb out into no-man's land and remain there for some three and a half to four hours each night. My men were game chickens, and had we been able to secure material there would have been much more work done. As it was, the brigade complimented the battalion on the work done and said 'keep it up.' Often bullets struck our wiring, throwing a cloud of sparks, and at one point as I walked up and down I frequently had to drop flat and remain still until an enemy sniper emptied his magazine. We had bombers and their protectors, bayonet men, out on our flanks and in front, all lying down of course, to watch for any possible surprise party, while we were busy pounding posts and wiring knife rests.
Since coming here there is a very noticeable difference in the enemy's attitude. Some eight weeks ago, although we were hundreds of yards from the front line, it was dangerous to expose one's head for even a moment. Now we frequently walk in the open past 'small party signs.'
Some day though, an old regiment will land in front of us and pick off a few after carefully studying range cards, which I must believe are always available to German snipers. They have done mighty good work as snipers, but we have done better and keep on improving with experience.